


Here With Me

by mythicalowlsociety



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Cute, F/M, Fluff, Forgive Me, I forgot about Steve I'm soooo SORRY y'all, Minor Angst, Nancy is a good older sister, Season 2 spoilers, Snow Ball
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-06
Updated: 2017-11-06
Packaged: 2019-01-30 09:38:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12650970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mythicalowlsociety/pseuds/mythicalowlsociety
Summary: Just Snow Ball fluff with these kids finally being happy.





	Here With Me

**Author's Note:**

> I'm just trash, this is pure fluff cause these babies need some happiness. Apologies because my grammar is going to be awful!

So far the Snow Ball sucked.  

Mike couldn’t stand to watch everyone else dance anymore, he was happy for his friends... or at least he was trying to be. Lucas and Max were cute together and anyone with eyes could see that, Dustin was finally confident in himself so he undoubtedly was able to pick up some girl with his new found hair, and Mike had basically pushed Will into the arms of that girl. His friends deserved a normal night where the biggest thing to worry about is not stepping on your date’s toes.  

But Mike was wishing that Eleven was here.

He missed her all the time. Hell she was back now, here to stay, but was still a little weak from closing that gate. She was doing better but the first two weeks had her dozing off at random times in the day, one time she even fell asleep in her morning eggos. A month had passed but visits with El had been short, limited, and only to the cabin in the woods as El was to make minimum public appearances. Hopper was probably flocking over her right now in their cabin... which reminded Mike of yet another barrier in his life.

Hopper and Mike were going to be a problem.

Mike didn’t like that Hopper had kept El from him for almost a year.

Hopper didn’t like the prospect of Mike kissing Eleven.

It was a mutual dislike for the other.

Mike just slumped in his chair. Maybe he could bail this dance and go up to the cabin to visit El… but Hop probably wouldn’t allow that.

The song changed and Mike just had this sudden inexplicable instinct to look up as if homing device was signalling for him to be ready for something. Mike responded slowly, he raised his head only to see: El all dressed up in a pretty blue gown walking through the gym doors. Mike’s breath caught in his throat, his mouth fell open softly. Eleven was here; she was actually really really here just like she had promised she would be (now) 384 days ago.

Mike couldn’t help but stare, mind blanking as he got up from the metal folding chair. Eleven’s eyes scanned the crowd before their gazes met. It felt like one of Nancy’s stupid romance movies, but Mike didn’t care. He didn’t remember walking over to her at all but he blinked and suddenly Eleven was standing right in front of him. Mike couldn’t even be bothered to say hello, his mind moving at a thousand miles an hour just spit fired the first thought that entered his head. “You look beautiful.”

Eleven looked down bashfully, an adorable blush blooming on her cheeks.

Mike smiled, glancing towards the dance floor to suppress his own flush. “Do you wanna dance?”

Eleven looked at the dance floor with her wide eyes. She peeked up at Mike shyly from under her lashes, “I don’t know how…”

For some reason Eleven’s sincerity brought out some shred of confidence in Mike. Even after all this time and she was still the same person, almost like she never left. Mike relaxed, the corner of his mouth curling up.  “I don’t either, do you wanna figure it out?”

Eleven smiled giving a nod, brown curls bobbing. Slowly their hands reached out for each other, cheeks turned pink once more as fingers intertwined and then Mike and Eleven were on the dance floor. Mike guided El’s arms “Like this,” he instructed as her hands rested on his shoulders. “Yeah like that.” Slowly he placed his hands on her hips. He swallowed, mouth feeling dry with nervousness.

But El seemed to pick up on it, because El picked up on everything.  She gave him a smile and the whole world stood still. This is what he’d been waiting for all those days,weeks, and months. It was Eleven, here safe with him. Just them because they understood each other in a way nobody else seemed to be able to. The butterflies were gone replaced with this warm gooey feeling in Mike’s chest.

El was smiling at him tenderly and he beamed back. Her pretty chocolate eyes flicked down every so often to watch their feet. They weren’t even moving, more like swaying, but El seemed a little self conscious of stepping on Mike’s feet all the same.

Mike just watched Eleven with with heart eyes.

The song built up and Mike felt himself leaning closer with Eleven meeting him halfway. Her hands that were clasped at the back of Mike’s neck helped pull him down for a soft peck of the lips. It only lasted 3 seconds but it was the best 3 seconds of Mike’s life, El looked down again with a smile on her lips as she came to rest her forehead against his. Mike felt a grin break out across his face, his hands tightening on El’s hips as he just breathed her in. She smelt like the cabin; of cedar and pine but also of laundry detergent, hairspray along with the honey scented shampoo Joyce had bought her.

She was back.

She was here with him.

She wasn’t going anywhere.

They kept dancing for a while, the entire school was in the distance as they just held onto each other for a while. No words were needed to be said between them but then again neither of them had ever needed to vocalize their feelings. The weight of El’s hands on Mike’s shoulders grounded him, made him feel so safe for the first time since Will got back from the Upsidedown last year. And Eleven was feeling liberated, she hadn’t felt this free since the last night she spent in her blanket fort in the Wheeler’s basement.

Eventually the song changed to something upbeat, Footloose by Kenny Loggins, and Eleven resembled a deer caught in the headlights as she watched the other kids flail around the gymnasium. She let a giggle out of her lips as she observed.

“Whatcha think El? Do you wanna try letting loose?”

“Letting loose?” she blinked.

Mike gestured over to the people shaking their limbs.

Eleven shook her head adamantly, reaching for Mike’s hand to exit the floor and go towards the punch bowl. “People are going to be aghast!”

“What?” Mike chuckled as he let Eleven drag him away from where his peers were grooving. Nancy had resumed her post at the punch bowl and she gave Mike a knowing look that Mike responded to with an eye roll (and a blush).  The couple walked hand in hand over to their table where Will and Dustin already were sitting.

“Hi.” Eleven waved.

“El!!!” Dustin cheered rising to hug her. Eleven smiled as she accepted the embrace.

As they pulled apart Eleven’s brows knitted together. Her free hand, Mike was still holding the other, came up to touch Dustin’s curls. “Hair? Why?”

Mike and Will barked out a laugh as Dustin gapped.

“Cause it’s cool!” Dustin whined defensively running a hand over his gelled tassels.

“Cool?” Eleven went on with this look as if to say _Really Dustin?_

“Hey guys! Hi Eleven, what’s so funny?” Lucas greeted as he approached, elbows linked with Max’s.

At the sight of the red headed girl Elven stiffened.

“Be right back.” Elven mumbled as she rushed off yanking a confused Mike along with her.

“Eleven?” Mike called as he struggled to keep up with her.

El didn’t answer as marched through the gym doors and out towards where the coat check was. Taking off her shoe, El reached inside to where she stashed her coat tag number.

“Jacket, please?” Elven asked.

The mom smiled warmly at her. “Leaving so soon, sweetie? Do you have big plans with your boyfriend over here?”

Mike flushed, the room felt hot, his pulse spiked, his fingers twitched around Eleven’s. _Boyfriend._

Everything tunned out as Mike took an unexpected interest in his shoes, not listening as El answered.

“No. Pocket.” El tried to explain.

“Oh you need something, hun? Sure thing I got your coat right here.”

 _Boyfriend._ They hadn’t really talked about that, they’ve kissed twice and all but nothing was official about them. _Boyfriend._ It scared Mike how badly he wanted that…

Mike remained zoned out until Eleven reached into her jacket to retrieve something circular wrapped in tinfoil. The mother and Mike both raised a brow. El just smiled politely giving a quiet “thank you” before heading back into the gym

“El?” Mike tried again. His head was swimming, what just happened?

El didn’t answer but squeezed Mike’s palm as she walked back over to the table again. Lucas had his arm around Max who looked a little upset at the snub and the others stared expectantly as El strode right in front of the ginger girl.

Eleven reached out, offering the strange tin foil object to Max. Max looked at the mysterious item and glanced at everyone else for reassurance. Everyone gave a nod, not  entirely sure what to anticipate either. Max accepted the gift skeptically, with brows furrowed. She slowly unwrapped the foil to reveal; an eggo waffle.

“Sorry.” El apologized outstretching her palm to shake. “Friends?”

Max’s lit up as she excitedly shook El’s hand. “Absolutely! Friends!”

“Welcome to the party, Zoomer” Mike approved.

“GROUP HUG!” Dustin bellowed causing everyone to giggle but they came together for a hug anyway. Just as they all slung their arms around each other there was a flash accompanied with the sound of a shutter firing. Mike turned to see Jonathan and Nancy standing behind them with the camera.

“Jonathan!” Will groaned.

Nancy just snickered as she snatched the fresh polaroid from the camera. “You guys are adorable! We should make copies of this, the moms’ will love it!”

That had everyone groaning.

“God Nancy can you be any more embarrassing?” Mike hissed.

“Is that a challenge?” Nancy smirked as she snuggled into Jonathan's side.

“No! Please oh god no! No challenge!” Will sputtered looking pleadingly towards his brother. “You already photos of me making a fool of myself dancing with Rachel Kawalchuk, what more do you want? No more embarrassments for us tonight. Mercy!”

“Okay okay!” Nancy retreated. “You’re off the hook Will, but I make no promises for the rest of you…”

“Come on! I thought I was your favorite!” Dustin pouted.

“As if!” Lucas quipped igniting a wave of bickering. Nancy just laughed (opting to neither confirm nor deny Dustin’s statement). Jonathan ruffled Will’s hair and the high school pair retreated back to their stations before one of the teacher supervisors came over and yelled at them.

The group quieted down as they sat around the table, talking about arcade games, dungeons and dragons (being sure to define words like “cleric” and “frost giant” for Eleven along the way), Max recounted stories growing up, and everyone gave an update of what’s happened in the last year. The whole time Mike and El’s fingers remained laced together but it was weird how natural that felt.

They all danced to a couple more songs, El and Mike manage another slow dance or two in between the Party teaching Eleven the electric slide, the conga line, and the chicken dance.

Later their parents came to pick them up one by one, Lucas, Dustin, then Max. Joyce and Hopper entered the gym together having waited a little while longer in the parking lot to collect Jonathan, Will and El. At least the parents were trying to give some space.

Mike and Hopper gave each other a nod as El got her coat.  
“Wheeler.” Hopper acknowledged as he pocketed his cigarettes.

“Sheriff.”

The air felt tense. Cold and frigid as comments went unsaid.

“I trust nothing happened tonight.” Hopper said threateningly with eyes narrowed.

“No.” Eleven huffed walking over while doing up her buttons. “We are not stupid.”

Somehow Mike suspected Eleven wasn’t talking about the same funny business Hopper was suggesting. Oh boy was that going to be an awkward conversation Mike would much rather leave for the dictionary.

“Nothing at all, sir.” Mike confirmed.

“Good.” Hopper concluded in a way that said _cause if you tried anything I will not hesitate to kick your angsty preteen ass all the way to the Upsidedown, Wheeler._ Hopper’s face softened as he turned toward his adoptive daughter. “Alright kiddo let’s roll.”

Eleven shot forward to give Mike a big hug. Mike relaxed, even under Hopper’s glare  Mike felt nothing but happiness that El was back. Eleven seized up on her tiptoes and gave Mike a quick kiss on the cheek, it was more of a brush of her lips on his face but it made Mike’s heart explode in his chest, breath hitching, stupidly dopey grin breaking out on his face as his cheek tingled when she pecked him.

“Bye Mike.” Eleven sighed giving him an extra squeeze.

“Okay break it up now!” Hopper urged as he pulled Eleven back gently.

“Bye El, I’ll see you tomorrow?” Mike asked with the question directed toward a very impatient Hopper.

“Fine.” Hopper grunted as he put his hand on El’s shoulder to guide her out.

El turned to wave over her shoulder as she was escorted back home.

“Ready to go?” Nancy asked with a smug look, she probably was lurking behind them the whole time.

“Yeah.” Mike breathed, dorky lovesick expression still plastered to his face.

“Okay let’s go lover boy!”  Nancy teased as she shepherded them outside of the school to where the family station wagon was parked. “Here.” Nancy handed him the polaroid of the group hug.

“Thanks.” Mike smiled as he studied the picture, admiring how happy all his friends were together and how perfect his arm looked around Elven’s shoulders.

 

At home Mike scurried upstairs before his mom could interrogate him about the winter formal; the decorations, what all his friends wore, if he danced with any girls, if he got any pictures.

Mike propped his ticket to the dance and the polaroid on his bedside lamp. He changed out into PJs and clambered into bed eagerly wanting nothing more than to think about things like the word boyfriend, eggo waffle peace offerings, hand holding, group hugs, a blue dress, and kisses.

So maybe the Snow Ball didn’t suck after all.


End file.
